cyanohydrin
Sign in to savethumb|right|The structure of a general cyanohydrin.
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Preparative methods
- Transhydrocyanation
- Asymmetric cyanohydrin formation
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|right|The structure of a general cyanohydrin.
In organic chemistry, a cyanohydrin or hydroxynitrile is a functional group found in organic compounds in which a cyano and a hydroxy group are attached to the same carbon atom. The general formula is , where R is H, alkyl, or aryl. Cyanohydrins are industrially important precursors to carboxylic acids and some amino acids. Cyanohydrins can be formed by the cyanohydrin reaction, which involves treating a ketone or an aldehyde with hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the presence of excess amounts of sodium cyanide (NaCN) as a catalyst: